AUSTRALIAN TV's "everywoman'' Chrissie Swan has cried through confessing she has been caught out smoking during her third pregnancy.

The former Circle favourite and Mix FM presenter used a segment called 'Is It Just Me' to tell her Melbourne radio audience this morning she had "struggled terribly with totally giving up cigarettes since I found out I was pregnant.''

Swan said: "Up until about six years ago I was what you call a full-time smoker. I really gave it a nudge in my 20s, as a lot of us did.

"Then I met 'the Chippie' (husband Chris) who has never smoked and I cut back a lot. Jamie (co-host), you knew me then...then I got pregnant with Leo and I quit completely for a couple of years, which was fantastic.

"Now sadly, I picked it up about a year ago and I was what I would call a 'not really smoker'. I never smoked at home and I never smoked around my family. I'd just sneak a few here and there and I know I'm not alone in this.

Some readers attacked the presenter for promoting a "pro-fat" attitude and accused her of allowing her eldest son Leo, then aged three, to become overweight.

Swan admitted her son was "a bit heavy" and revealed she had consulted a paediatric dietitian to help in addressing the problem.

After discovering she was pregnant with her third child six months ago, Swan said "it was a massive surprise and I tried to go cold turkey like I did with Leo and I was confident that I could do it, but I couldn't do it. I just failed and failed, time after time. I'd win for a few days then I would have one.''

She blamed the stress, at the time, on having two radio shows, her Channel 10 panel show, Can Of Worms, a weekly column, all of which required her to travel, plus selling the family's home and resettling in a new property.

Swan said: "These (were) not excuses, there is no excuse for smoking ... absolutely none.''

Her confession came just days after Swan says she was photographed "having a sneaky cigarette'' and had begged the paparazzo to "not write the story'' of her secret shame "because I know how bad it looks.''

"It is bad. And I also told them it was a deeply shameful secret no one knows...not my mum, not my best friend, not my partner.''

"And here's the truth ... obviously I know it's wrong, I'm not an idiot. No smoker wants to smoke, especially when they're pregnant but it is clearly an addiction and a very serious one.''

She said it had "cloud(ed) her judgement and can make the unthinkable somehow okay.''

Speaking to her audience she said: "As a listener to this show, you know I'm devoted to my children. I would never do anything to harm them and yet, here I am having five cigarettes and justifying it. It's madness, I cannot explain it.''

The admission immediately sparked an emotional debate on Twitter, but it appears Swan has removed her profile, perhaps anticipating a public backlash.

Almost 14 percent of women smoke daily across the population, while 7.7 per cent of women smoke while pregnant, according to data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey report.

Swan's long-time manager, David Wilson, backed his 39-year-old client in a statement which read: "Chrissie is horrified and heartbroken she couldn't find the strength to quit whilst pregnant.

"Addiction is serious and smoking is an incredibly difficult habit to kick.

"These past few days have galvanised Chrissie's commitment to take the steps needed to stop it once and for all with the full support of those she loves and love her.''

The anti-smoking lobby Action on Smoking and Health said Swan's confession showed just "how extremely addictive this product is''.

"She sounds like she has a life similar to other women with lots of pressures, this is not a personal attack on her, but that is no excuse to continue smoking,'' Action on Smoking and Health chief Anne Jones said.

"We have excellent support for people who want to quit smoking these days from online quitting to Quitline and subsidies for nicotine patches,'' she said.

"The reason she continues to smoke is that she can't get over her nicotine addiction.

"How many women want to harm their unborn child whether they are addicted to heroin or tobacco?'' she said.

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Comments on this story

Not perfect of Melbourne Posted at 2:51 PM February 06, 2013

I'm in awe of all the perfect people here. Thank goodness YOU kicked your habit otherwise the lack of oxygen up there on your high horses might be a bit hard to deal with.

Benji Marshall of Concord Posted at 2:50 PM February 06, 2013

Shut up. Smoking is bad. It is a proven fact.

Nate Posted at 2:49 PM February 06, 2013

"No smoker wants to smoke.." I would have to say I disagree with that blanket statement. Sure, 100% of smokers don't want to be doing it and would like to quit... Pfft! I am a smoker, I want to smoke, I know the risks, I don't want to quit... Apparently I don't exist, according to government health authorities & the mass media. Either way, smoking is her decision & smoking whilst pregnant is also her decision. It is not against the law. Deal with it.

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